Saiyan
are a near-extinct naturally aggressive extraterrestrial species that made their home on Planet Vegeta. A majority of the Saiyan race was exterminated by the tyrannical Emperor, Freeza, however, a handful did manage to survive, rendering the race close to extinction. They play a central role in the second half of the Dragon Ball series, where it is revealed that Son Goku is a Saiyan who was sent to Earth as a child. Alongside Humans, the Saiyan race was among one of the first races to debut in the Dragon Ball series, making their appearance through Son Goku in the first chapter of the manga, and they have maintained a vital role in the series since their introduction. History The history of the Saiyans before their relationship with Freeza and recruitment into the Galactic Freeza Army is not explored in the manga. However, a large amount of filler material in the anime gives the Saiyans a backstory with the anime-only race, the Tuffles. The anime also introduced the concept of the Original Super Saiyan, described by Vegeta as a Super Saiyan who appeared a millennium before the Namek Saga, and was only able to control his power in his transformed state. He is stated to have destroyed himself under his own power.Dragon Ball Z episode 67 The Saiyans are believed to be originally from another Planet (called Planet Saiya)Dragon Ball GT Perfect Files, vol.1, page 74, and the Saiyans, primitive at the time, drifted to Planet Vegeta (then Planet Plant) on 'mysterious spaceships'. According to North Kaiō, the Saiyans lived in the wastelands of Planet Plant, while the Tuffles populated vast cities. The Saiyans, however, attacked the Tuffles, sparking a war that would last for ten years.Dragon Ball Z episode 20 During this war, which lasted from Age 720 to Age 730, according to North Kaiō, the Saiyans and Tuffles fought a brutal civil-war. Though larger in stature and possessing stronger power, the Saiyans were held at bay by the Tuffles superior technology and numbers. However, it was an event that only occurred on Planet Plant once every eight years that turned the tide of battle in favor of the Saiyans — a full moon. With the rise of the lunar body, the Saiyans were able to adopt their Ōzaru forms and destroy the Tuffles. They renamed the Planet in honor of their King, King Vegeta.Dragon Ball Z episode 20 At some point in the history of the Saiyan race, a Super Saiyan God appeared. Detesting the evil in his race, five righteous Saiyans pooled their energies into this single Saiyan, creating a Super Saiyan God. The man fought off the evil Saiyans, but failed, due to the form's time limit, and evil once again took hold on Planet Vegeta.Dragon Ball Z: God and God The Saiyan race was eventually recruited into the Galactic Freeza Army, and became some of the army's best fighters. However, out of a fear of the Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan God legend that the Saiyans were known for, the tyrannical emperor destroyed the entire species, leaving only a few scattered survivors. Overview Life Cycle Saiyans possess a sexual reproductive system that is compatible with that of a Human, as evidenced by their producing of fertile half-breed children. Saiyans and Humans have the same concept of gender, and a male and female are required to produce a breeding pair.Dragon Ball Minus clearly showcases Goku's parents as being a male and female Saiyan, Burdock and Gine Saiyans, however, do not have much of a concept of family; they rarely form male-female relationships with the exception of breeding purposes. The one exception to this are the Saiyan royal family, which do apparently have close-knit family ties.Saikyō Jump, March 2014; Akira Toriyama-sensei Super Q&A!! Additionally, as children, Saiyans are kept in incubator pods until the parents decide they are ready to enter the battlefield.Dragon Ball Minus A Saiyan has a longer lifespan than a human, though by how much remains unclear. Due to their nature as a war-mongering race, however, most Saiyans do not typically live to enjoy this benefit of their biology, and tend to die early in battle, making their average lifespan fairly short.Saikyō Jump, March 2014; Akira Toriyama-sensei Super Q&A!! Saiyans have a naturally long childhood, retaining a small and childlike appearance for much of their early life, allowing them to deceive others around them as they grow older; after this, the body experiences a growth spurt that causes the Saiyan to grow into a size suited to fight. Beyond superficial changes from this point on, the Saiyan will hardly age.Jaco the Galactic Patrolman According to Vegeta, Saiyans remain in their prime like this for far longer than humans so they can enjoy the thrill of battle longer.Dragon Ball chapter 519 pp. 2 The best example of a Saiyan's aging would be Son Goku, the only pure-blooded Saiyan shown aging from childhood to adulthood in the series. Growing tends to vary between Saiyans as much as it does with Humans, but using Goku for reference, Saiyans are shown to grow through phases. At the age of 14''Dragon Ball Minus'' pp. 9 and Jaco the Galactic Patrolman pp. 216 confirmed to have been sent to Earth as age 3 in Dragon Ball Minus; Bulma was 5 at the time. Bulma, who is 16 when the series starts, is therefore two years older than Goku, Goku appeared to be no older than an average 7-8 year old Human, and two years later, at age 17Goku's age was 14 at the start of the series, and a three year time-skip had occur ed between Fortuneteller Baba Saga and Tenshinhan Saga, thus making him 17 when he competed in the 22nd Tenkaichi Budōkai he'd barely grown at all, with his limbs growing out only slightly, a small increase in height and musculature. After three years, however, upon reaching physical maturity, Goku's body underwent a massive growth spurt. At the sage of 20As Goku's age was 17 merely three years ago, 'Teen' Goku that competed in the Budōkai against Piccolo Jr. was in fact 20, Goku was around the same height as Yamcha, who was only two years older at the timeBulma and Yamcha were both born in Age 733, making Yamcha two years Goku's senior as well. As stated before, however, a Saiyan's development is not the same between every Saiyan. They do show similar developmental stages in childhood, but Vegeta, who is a year older than the Human Yamcha,Dragon Ball: Super Exciting Guide states Vegeta's birthdate to be Age 732, appeared to be within the same size as the then three-year old Son Goku and even Raditz''Jaco the Galactic Patrolman''. Upon reaching adulthood, however, Raditz was a Saiyan possessed of a tall and muscular physique, while Vegeta, three years Goku's senior, is shorter and smaller overall. Once the body adapts to a fighting size, the Saiyan's aging slows down a great deal, becoming barely noticeable. Jaco the Galactic Patrolman From this point on, there are only noticeable changes within the male Saiyans of the race. Evidenced primarily by Goku and Vegeta, the only Saiyans shown to have aged between the years of 20 and 30, the body finalizes its physical maturity and a stark increase in muscle mass, as well as a growth in height. Taking Goku's build between the Saiyan, Namek, and Android Sagas, he's become far more muscularly built, as well as even become a little taller. Vegeta himself gains additional increases in muscle mass that can be seen throughout the series from his introduction onward, and he's also gained additions to his height, as can be seen when comparing him to his introduction and later appearances in Dragon Ball. Military & Social Structure As a warrior race, and members of the Galactic Freeza Army, the Saiyans have come to possess a formidable and organized military force that also reflects their social structure. The Saiyan's military, as part of the Galactic Freeza Army, sends their forces to other planets, wiping out the indigenous people and selling the planet to the highest bidder.Dragon Ball chapter 197 pp. 6. The Saiyan military is composed of mostly "low-class" Saiyan warriors.Saikyō Jump, March 2014; Akira Toriyama-sensei Super Q&A!! Being a low-class, while common, also appears to be quite the social stigma, as Vegeta and Nappa constantly used the term when speaking to or about Goku in a derogatory manner. Beyond the low-class warriors existed ten "mid-class" Saiyan soldiers, Saiyans with power beyond the norm of their species. And standing further above at the top, were the only known "elite-class" Saiyans, Prince Vegeta and his father, King Vegeta.Saikyō Jump, March 2014; Akira Toriyama-sensei Super Q&A!! It is not, however, impossible to rise beyond the ranks bestowed at birth. While a Saiyan's classification is based on their innate battle power, it is possible, if their battle power rises greatly after the decision, to be promoted to a higher rank, as with any other military.Saikyō Jump, March 2014; Akira Toriyama-sensei Super Q&A!! Appetite Personality Tail Breeding With Humans Appearance The Saiyan race appears to be outwardly similar to the Human race that lives on Planet Earth. Male Saiyans vary the most in appearance, shown being between tall and muscular, or short and stocky, with varying combinations in between. Few female Saiyans have been shown in the manga, but those who have been shown in the anime and even video games always have lean builds, lacking any kind of musculature that their male counterparts possess. A pure-blooded Saiyan's hair is always black,Dragon Ball chapter 333 pp.6 and never changes length once it reaches its fully grown out.Dragon Ball 375 pp. 4 This trait does not apply to half-breeds, and in the anime, Saiyans with varying hair colors have been seen. Saiyans that lived on Planet Vegeta typically don the standard battle jacket of the Galactic Freeza Army. Vegeta, even when living a normal life on Earth, still wears a variant of his battle armor, and refers to it as Saiyan formal wear. The true distinction between Saiyans and the Human race are the monkey-like tails Saiyans possess. Without this tail, a Saiyan can easily pass for a human. Tails are another curious trait that don't often apply to half-breeds. Gohan was born with a tail, but Goten, Trunks, and Bra have never been seen with a tail. Abilities Physical Abilities Healing Transformations in a transformed state]] In Other Media Video Games Trivia *According to the Daizenshuu, a Saiyan shares their average lifespan with Humans — around 70 to 90 years, with the occasional exceptions)Daizenshuu 7. However, this contradicts with Toriyama's later statement that a Saiyan's lifespan is longer than a human's. References Category:Species